Symptoms of Acid Reflux – A Quick Review
The symptoms of acid reflux are often not severe and serious; however, when they attack, they can cause pain and discomfort. GERD or more commonly known as acid reflux is a condition that takes place when the tube used in the transport of food to the stomach from the throat isn’t strong enough to handle the acid, produced, stored, and used by the stomach to digest the food we eat. The stomach walls are originally built with enough strength to handle production and storage of acid without damaging any part of the system.
One of the very first and most common symptoms of acid reflux is heartburn, which occurs when the acid produced by the stomach to digest the food we eat flows back to the esophagus. This is normal though as it can be experienced by everyone once in a while; however, if the symptoms of acid reflux occur more frequently and can’t be relieved by medications, you may be positive of acid reflux. The symptoms of acid reflux may be relieved and prevented by making some changes in your diet but if this still doesn’t work, you should seek immediate medical attention.
The symptoms of acid reflux are mainly caused by the failure of the lower oeasophageal sphinter to function at inappropriate times; thus, it becomes unable to block the flow back of acid into the esophagus. The flow back of stomach acid into the esophagus causes severe heartburn right in the chest.
Other symptoms of acid reflux include:
1. Chest Pain or Burning Sensation in the Chest – starting from the sternum or from behind the breast bone, the pain or burning sensation may run up and be felt at the throat. People often experience this symptom after they eat a meal. The pain may stay for a few minutes to a couple of hours.
2. Bitter or sour taste – this is the effect of the reflux of the contents of the stomach to the esophagus and when the stomach contents reach the back of the throat.
3. Difficulty Swallowing – dysphagia or difficulty swallowing occurs when the food we eat is unable to pass to the stomach from the mouth through the esophagus normally. This could be characterized by a sensation that the food is sticking in the throat or burning after eating, chest pressure, or a choking feeling. Aside from being one of the symptoms of acid reflux, dysphagia may also signal various conditions including esophageal cancer and esophagitis and must be immediately evaluated by a physician.
4. Chronic Coughing – according to some studies, acid reflux accounted for about 40% of chronic cough cases in non-smoking patients. If the stomach acid backs up into the esophagus and becomes aspirated, coughing occurs.
5. Wheezing and other asthma-related symptoms – these are also some of the most common symptoms of acid reflux as study sows that around 60% of asthmatic people have also been diagnosed to have acid reflux or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). GERD can cause asthma-related symptoms when the stomach acid backs up into the esophagus and is inhaled into the lungs and airways, thereby, making breathing more difficult and causing the patient to cough and wheeze.
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